Lock



' octyls, 1940.

G. H. THACHER LOCK ' Filed Aug. 11. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTOR z 7/ WM BY Me g: AfTR N EY Patented Oct. 15, 1940' STATES LOCK 7 George H'Ihacher Melrose, Mass Application August '11, 1939, Serial N. 289,559

miss, (cum-231 M H v I 7 application over the topend of the post.

Theyinvention relates to an improvement in locks especially adapted for the locking of gas fixtures, although applicable, also, :to many other connections .where separate :parts, or .elements,

are locked 'togethenor the operation of 1a singl part, or element, prevented.

The object of the [invention is :to provide alock that will well :serve the :purpose for which it is designedthough of simple constructionand rela- 10 ti'vely. inexpensive; to provide, :also, a lock that is self-locking when: applied; one that gives no evidence .to the uninitiated of the mode of its unlocking, and which :can only be unlocked with a special and powerful tool;

:stood byreference tothe drawings in which the lock is shown, together with various examples showing themode of its application for the looking of gasfixtures.

Fig. l is-a view showing the lock in perspective.

Fig. 2 is a cross :section on line -2 2 'of Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a View in perspective of the lock with tool applied for unlocking it; v

Fig. 4 shows inperspective the application of the lock to one type of gas fixture.

Fig. '5 shows in perspective the application of the lock toanother-type of gas fixture.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the locked fixture shown in Fig. 5with the parts thereof disassociated. ":1

' Fig. '7 shows in perspective app'licationrof the lock to a still further type of gas fixture;

Fig. 8 is a perspective of the locked fixture shown in 7 with the partsthereofidisassodated; and v v 9' is ;a view partly in side elevation and partly in section oft-he lock and its unlocking tool, the unlockingtool being shown in cross section;

The lock, comprises separate elements lockable together and of which: I represents the. keeper carrying, element, for fit is the element to which the bolt of the bolt carrying element 2, laterv to be referred to, is locked. The element I comprises a post, preferably made round. It has at its foot end a flange-3, orequivalent member such as one from'which the post may extend, examples! of which will later be referred to. On its side the post is provided with=a slot 4 which formsa keeper for the bolt. This slot is preferablyan annular slot extending circumferentially around the post.

The bolt carrying element 2 encircles the post to cover the slot 4 thereinin the manner of a sleeve, with easy slidingfit on the post, and with The invention can bestgbc seen :and under- 1 The element 2 is preferably made in the'formof a cap, the,,elenient being provided with a bore 5 into, which the post 1extends.- The element 2 may be made roundingin form although prefer- -ablyis made to simulate a nut.

ment 2 extends we'll over'the post for some dis- Though :the' eletance above and below the slot 4 therein when the element 2 is "in place, yet the length'of the postis such that a' space 6 will be left between the lower edge of the element 2* and the flange 3 on the post or equivalent member.

The elementiz is provided withra stepped opening within and through the side thereof for receiving a boltassembl'y t." This stepped opening a includes a boltway :J and-a socket forming opening it in aligned extension of the boltway-and with diameter larger than that of the boltway. Both the boltway' and th'e :open'ing Ill are preferably cylindrical in form. "The 'boltway forms a slideway for thebolt' and opens at its innerend directly onto the slot i in the post when the elements which extends partway 'overthe shank embrac ing it in the manner of a -loose-sleeve-to leavean annular opening ld between it and the shank, and the end of which-provides a shoulder forming a stop !'5. It is this enlarged portion of the bolt which slides'within the'boltwayil, providing av I slideway therefor, 1 and extends into the slot 4 in the post I when the bolt is in locking engagement with the" post. .At its outer :end the bolt shank II is provided with a lfixed head Hi, the peripheral edge of which is-stepped to provide an edge -surface; IT, and oiiset therefrom an edge surface l8 of slightly lesser diameter than that of the edge surface'il'i. I

Located upon the shank of the bolt, but not fixed to it, is. a washer 20. This washer is preferably cylindricaliinform and is slightly larger diametrically than the head of' the bolt. Arranged upon the shank of the bolt and between the Washer 23 and the end ofthecap I2 is a 'coiled spring 2! which lies partially contained within the annular opening M. I

The whole assembly bears a determinate relationship to the steppedopening in the element 2 within which it is contained. When located therein the washer-20 and head N5 of the bolt assembly will lie contained within the socket forming opening It. The washer 20 will lie. at

the bottom of the opening with press fit against the circumferential side wall of the opening, thus becoming affixed to the element 2. The peripheral edge H of the head will clear the side wall of the opening but lie snugly thereto. The front face of the head will lie substantially flush with the face of the element 2, thus leaving a thin annular slit 22 around the peripheral edge l8 of the head and the adjacent wall of the opening within which it is contained. The head with the parts thus normally arranged will be drawn into contact with the washer 20 by the force of the spring 2| and the bolt will be held in a state of projection. Consequently if the element 2 be then combined with the post or element I the end of the bolt will then fit within the slot 4 of the post forming a keeper therefor, and the two elements will lie locked together.

The arrangement of the parts is such that the bolt will normally lie projected so that the two elements I and 2 will become self-locking, for when the element 2 is applied to the head of the post and moved down into its locking position this action will tend to retract the bolt until such time as the bolt is brought into alignment with the slot 4 in the post, whereupon it will again become projected and the two elements then locked together.

After the elements are locked together they may be unlocked by means of a tool it having jaws sufliciently small to enter the slit 22 in the element 2, and sufficiently strong to grip onto the head of the bolt around its peripheral edge [8 with sufiicient force to withdraw the head and bolt shank upon the withdrawal of the tool, thus unlocking the elements and permitting of their separation.

The head cannot be withdrawn for unlocking the elements by inserting a tool back of the head for lifting it due to the fact that the edge I! of the head lies so snug to the adjacent wall of the its unlocking. The element 2, simulating as it does a nut, would appear to indicate a part which should be turned by a wrench, but this part will turn freely when the elements are locked together owing to the fact that the slot 4 into which the end of the bolt is fitting is an annular slot which permits free turning of the element 2.

In one type of gas fixture a valve body 25 as shown in Fig. 4; is provided with a flange 2B having an opening in it. The stem 21 of the valve has a flange 28 with one or more openings in it. When the valve is closed the openings in the respective flanges will lie in alignment with one another whereupon the valve body and stem will become locked together, preventing rotation of the stem, by passing the flanged post I of applicants lock through the openings in the respective flanges and then applying the bolt carrying element 2 to the head of the post whereupon the two elements will become locked together, so preventing turning of the valve stem until the lock is opened.

In Fig; 5 is shown another form of closure for a gas fixture. Here a threaded plug 28 is turnable into the end of the pipe for closing it. This plug is provided with a squared head 29 by which the plug may be turned by a wrench. In the application of applicants lock with such a plug, the plug is provided with a post I, the nut then taking the place of the flange 3 on the post. With the head of the nut thus fitted with a post a dome shaped guard 30 is slipped over the post and down over the squared head of the plug preventing application of a wrench thereto. The guard is then looked in place by the application of element 2 of applicant's lock to the head of the post. In such an arrangement both the dome shaped guard and the bolt carrying element 2 are freely rotatable on the post. The squared head of the post is entirely concealed by the guard which cannot be lifted although it may be rotated without affecting the squared head of the plug.

In Fig. '7 another type of fixture is shown in which the end of the pipe is closed, not by a plug as in Fig. 5 but by a cap 32 threaded onto the end of the pipe and formed so as to be turned by a wrench. Here the cap is provided with a post I over which is placed a dome shaped guard 33 which envelops the cap for preventing its turning. The guard is held locked in place upon the application of the locking element 2 of applicant's device to the post.

A suitable tool must be employed for retracting the bolt, and as an example of such there is shown in the drawings a tool the body a of which bears at its end a set of contracting jaws a annularly arranged. These jaws are contracted by cam surfaces a thereon against which is moved a tubular slide a. The slide is moved by a nut a turning on a threaded portion a on the body of the tool. To prevent the nut being turned off the body of the tool is projected forward beyond the threaded portion thereof, and arranged thereon is a sleeve a held in place by a cross handle (1 passed through the end of the tool. The sleeve prevents the nut being turned off the end of the tool and the handle enables the body of the tool to be turned within the nut when occasion requires. On turning the nut on the body of the tool the tubular slide will be advanced thereby, and acting upon the cam surfaces a will contract the jaws a for gripping the head of the bolt for retracting it. The jaws will not be released from the head of the bolt unless the tubular sleeve is drawn back upon a reverse turning of the nut. To this end there is provided a retracting member a which turns with the nut and acts to pull back the tubular sleeve on a reverse turning of the nut, through engagement with a flange a on the sliding sleeve a thus releasing the jaws.

I claim:

1. A look having separable elements lockable together, one element comprising a post having an opening in its side forming a keeper, the other of said elements slidably applied to said post from over the end thereof to embrace said post and cover said opening therein when in lookable position, said other of the elements having a socket opening in the side thereof with a boltway therefrom of lesser size than said socket opening and opening into said opening in said first named element when the elements are combined in lockable position, said bolt assembly comprising a bolt slidable within said boltway, a washer loosely arranged on the shank of said bolt located within said socket forming opening and fixed to the wall thereof, a head fixed to said bolt located within said slotted opening and adapted to have engagement with said washer, and a tension member arranged upon said bolt bearing against said washer and bolt, respective ly, for holding said head of the bolt in retractile engagement with said washer.

2. A look having separable elements lockable together, one element comprising a post having an opening in its side. forming a keeper, the other of said elements slidably applied to said post from over the end thereof to embrace said post and cover said opening therein when in lockable position, said other of the elements having a socket opening in the side thereof with a boltway therefrom of lesser size than said socket opening and opening'into said opening in said first named element when the elements are combined in lockable position, said bolt assembly comprising a bolt slidable within said boltway,

a Washer loosely arranged on the shank of said bolt located within said socket forming opening and fixed to the wall thereof, a head fixed to said bolt located within said socket forming opening and adapted to have engagement with said washer, said head being of less size laterally than said socket forming opening to leave space between the peripheral edge of said head and the adjacent wall of said opening into which a tool may be inserted for retracting said head, and a tension member arranged upon said bolt bearing against said washer and bolt, respectively for holding said head of the bolt in retractile engagement with said washer.

3. A lock'having separable elements lockable together, one element comprising a post having an opening in its side forming a keeper, the

other of said elements slidably applied to said post from over the end thereof to embrace said post and cover said opening therein when in lockable position, said other of the elements having a socket opening in the side thereof with a boltway therefrom of lesser size than said socket opening and opening into said opening in said first named element when the elements are combined in lockable position, said bolt assembly comprising a bolt slidable within said boltway, a washer loosely arranged on the shank 'ofsaid bolt located within said socket forming opening and fixed to the wall thereof, a head fixed to said bolt located within said socket forming opening and adapted to have engagement with said washer, said head having stepped peripheral edge surfaces, one surface adjacent said washer lying snugly adjacent the side wall of said socket forming opening for preventing entrance of a tool for retracting said head, and the other of said surfaces, adjacent the fore end of said head, being spaced from the adjacent side wall of said opening sufficiently to permit of the insertion of a tool for retracting said head, and a tension member arranged upon said bolt bearing against said washer and bolt, respectively, for holding said head of the bolt in retractile engagement with said washer.

GEORGE H. THACHER. 

